BiomesBiomes

Major BiomesMajor Biomes

Tropical rain forestTropical rain forest Tropical dry forestTropical dry forest SavannaSavanna GrasslandGrassland DesertDesert Temperate woodland and shrubland aka ChaparralTemperate woodland and shrubland aka Chaparral Temperate forest aka DeciduousTemperate forest aka Deciduous TundraTundra Northwest coniferous forest (temperate rain Northwest coniferous forest (temperate rain

forest)forest) Taiga (boreal)Taiga (boreal)

Tropical Rain ForestTropical Rain Forest Hot and wet year roundHot and wet year round Nutrient poor soilNutrient poor soil Near equatorNear equator Dense canopyDense canopy

Tropical Dry ForestTropical Dry Forest

Seasonal rainfall wet/dry seasonSeasonal rainfall wet/dry season Generally warm year roundGenerally warm year round Dense canopyDense canopy Plants drop leaves during a particular seasonPlants drop leaves during a particular season

SavannaSavanna

Seasonal rainfallSeasonal rainfall WarmWarm Compact soilCompact soil GrassesGrasses Occasional fire and droughtOccasional fire and drought Large herbivoresLarge herbivores

DesertDesert Low precipitation less than Low precipitation less than

25cm25cm Variable temperaturesVariable temperatures Cold and hotCold and hot

Temperate GrasslandTemperate Grassland GrassesGrasses Fertile soilsFertile soils Periodic firesPeriodic fires Large herbivoresLarge herbivores

Temperate Woodland Temperate Woodland & Shrubland & Shrubland (Chaparral)(Chaparral) Shrubs, grasses, wildflowersShrubs, grasses, wildflowers Periodic firesPeriodic fires Hot dry summers, cool wet wintersHot dry summers, cool wet winters Nutrient-poor soilsNutrient-poor soils

Temperate ForestsTemperate Forests

Broadleaf deciduous and coniferous trees (seed bearing Broadleaf deciduous and coniferous trees (seed bearing cones & needle shaped leaves)cones & needle shaped leaves)

Rich in humus (formed from decaying leaves and other Rich in humus (formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter)organic matter)

Fertile soilsFertile soils Year round precipYear round precip midlattitudemidlattitude

NW Coniferous forestNW Coniferous forest

Mild temp, moist airMild temp, moist air Abundant rainfallAbundant rainfall Aka Temperate rainforestAka Temperate rainforest Lush vegetationLush vegetation ConifersConifers Rocky acidic soilsRocky acidic soils

Boreal ForestBoreal Forest Aka taigaAka taiga Cold wintersCold winters Mild summersMild summers Mostly in northern hemisphereMostly in northern hemisphere Mostly conifersMostly conifers

TundraTundra

Permafrost (layer of permanently Permafrost (layer of permanently frozen soil)frozen soil)

Soil thaws only a few cm in short Soil thaws only a few cm in short summersummer

Plants small and stuntedPlants small and stunted Cold tempsCold temps High windsHigh winds Short growing seasonShort growing season Little precipLittle precip

ClimateClimate

Weather: day to day at a particular place and Weather: day to day at a particular place and timetime

Climate: average conditions of temperature Climate: average conditions of temperature and precipitation in a particular regionand precipitation in a particular region– Caused by trapping of heatCaused by trapping of heat– LatitudeLatitude– Transport of heat by winds and ocean currentsTransport of heat by winds and ocean currents– Shape and elevation of mountainsShape and elevation of mountains

Greenhouse EffectGreenhouse Effect Carbon dioxide, methane, Carbon dioxide, methane,

water vapor trap heat water vapor trap heat energy and maintain energy and maintain Earth’s temperature range.Earth’s temperature range.

Natural situation w/o gases Natural situation w/o gases earth would be 30 earth would be 30 °°C C coldercolder-yikes-yikes

Effect of Latitude on Effect of Latitude on ClimateClimate

Three main climate Three main climate zoneszones– PolarPolar

Sun’s rays strike at a Sun’s rays strike at a very low anglevery low angle

Effect of Latitude on Effect of Latitude on ClimateClimate

Three main climate Three main climate zoneszones– PolarPolar

Sun’s rays strike at a Sun’s rays strike at a very low anglevery low angle

– TemperateTemperate Between polar and Between polar and

tropicaltropical

Effect of Latitude on Effect of Latitude on ClimateClimate

Three main climate Three main climate zoneszones– PolarPolar

Sun’s rays strike at a Sun’s rays strike at a very low anglevery low angle

– TemperateTemperate Between polar and Between polar and

tropicaltropical

– TropicalTropical Near the equator Near the equator

between 23.5between 23.5°° N and N and 23.523.5° ° SS

Direct or nearly direct Direct or nearly direct sunlight year roundsunlight year round

Heat TransportHeat Transport

Unequal heating of Earth’s surface drives Unequal heating of Earth’s surface drives winds and ocean currentswinds and ocean currents

Warm air rises and cool air sinks causing Warm air rises and cool air sinks causing winds to formwinds to form

Coriolis EffectCoriolis Effect In the northern hemisphere deflects to the In the northern hemisphere deflects to the

rightright Opposite in southernOpposite in southern Result of earth’s rotationResult of earth’s rotation

Ocean CurrentsOcean Currents

Rain ShadowRain Shadow

caused by mountains caused by mountains As air rises, it cools As air rises, it cools

and condenses and condenses causing moisture and causing moisture and rain. rain.

Cool, dry, air sinks Cool, dry, air sinks and warms up on the and warms up on the leeward sideleeward side

Rain ShadowRain Shadow

UpwellingUpwelling

transport of colder deeper water to more transport of colder deeper water to more shallow water.shallow water.

Brings nutrients to surfaceBrings nutrients to surface

Land and Sea Land and Sea BreezesBreezes

Sea breeze:Sea breeze: During the During the dayday, the land gets hotter , the land gets hotter faster, and the hot air rises, creating an area of lower faster, and the hot air rises, creating an area of lower pressure. Wind blows from the sea to the land. pressure. Wind blows from the sea to the land.

Land and Sea Land and Sea BreezesBreezes

Sea breeze:Sea breeze: During the During the dayday, the land gets hotter , the land gets hotter faster, and the hot air rises, creating an area of lower faster, and the hot air rises, creating an area of lower pressure. Wind blows from the sea to the land. pressure. Wind blows from the sea to the land.

Land breeze:Land breeze: At At nightnight, the land cools off faster than , the land cools off faster than the sea. Cooler air descends creating an area of higher the sea. Cooler air descends creating an area of higher pressure. Wind blows from the land to the sea.pressure. Wind blows from the land to the sea.